


Yesterday Got Away

by Cosmic_Myths



Series: Let The Stars Guide You Home [5]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Realities, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Gen, Hospitals, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Running Away, Stuff, Temporary Character Death, The White Violin - Freeform, Time Travel, alternate time lines, because klaus, ish, it's weird - Freeform, no beta we die like ben, though he is alive in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:22:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28376910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cosmic_Myths/pseuds/Cosmic_Myths
Summary: Jumbled voices fill her thoughts. She can’t hear anything. It’s too loud it’s too loud it’s too loud it’s too—“Vanya. Wake up.”She opens her eyes.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Vanya Hargreeves & Everyone, Vanya Hargreeves/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Let The Stars Guide You Home [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1917691
Comments: 1
Kudos: 44





	Yesterday Got Away

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this took so long!! It's here now though, and I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Title is from "Sing Me To Sleep" by Alan Walker
> 
> Anyway, to any new comers, you will have to read at least the first and fourth installment of this series(you COULD skip the second and third if you wanted to. It's your choice).

Her head is killing her. All she can process is the feeling of pain, and she can also feel panic filling her body. She doesn’t know where she is. She desperately tries to think about what happened, but nothing comes. She wakes up gasping. The room she’s in is dark, and it takes her far too long to realise that it’s her own bedroom. Moonlight shines through the window, and a quick glance at the clock tells her it’s nearly 1 AM. 

She here’s muffled footsteps and hushed voices outside her door, and her mind instantly jumps into action. She hops off her bed with ease, and quickly runs to the door. She opens it to find her mother, Allison, and Diego walking by. Klaus is already in his room, judging by how the door is closed, and Luther always gives their father a mission report. The only one missing is Ben. 

Vanya feels icy cold terror wash over her. She doesn’t know where Ben is, and he’s probably dead, isn’t he? The horror finally got to him, right? That’s what happenes? He leaves for a mission and never comes back, and Vanya is finally truly alone. She doesn’t think she’s breathing—is she breathing? All she can feel is panic because she doesn’t know where her brother is, and—

“Where’s Ben?” She blurts out. 

Diego and Allison take one look at her before walking off to their own rooms. It doesn’t do anything to ease her nerves, and she itches to grab her pills. Something about this feels oh so familiar. It’s almost as if she’s watching a memory and is unable to change the outcome. Something deep in her soul knows Ben is dead, and she’s not ready to face that truth. She’ll  _ never  _ be ready to face that truth.

“He’s in the shower, dear. Why don’t you go back to bed? It's late,” Her mother says calmly. 

Vanya sighs in relief, and she doesn’t know why she was worried in the first place. Of course Ben wouldn’t be dead—her paranoia and anxiety was just getting to her. Feeling at ease, she heads her mother’s words and retreats to her room. She wants to see Ben, but she knows he’ll wake her up when he’s done showering. As she retreats under the covers, the fear of him dying retreats like a fading dream. 

Jumbled voices fill her dreams. She can hear muffled voices, and there seems to be a constant beeping filling the background of her dream. There’s arguing, and shouting, and people are crying, and Vanya feels so overwhelmed. All the noises are being absorbed by her, and she can barely hear her own thoughts because it’s too loud. Jumbled voices fill her thoughts. She can’t hear anything. It’s too loud it’s too loud it’s too loud it’s too—

“Vanya. Wake up.” 

A soft voice tears her from her nightmares, and she can already feel the memory of her dream fading to the depths of her subconscious. Ben is sitting on her bed beside her, and though he obscures the view of her clock, she can guess it has to be in the late hours of the night. Parts of Ben’s skin are rubbed raw from his shower, but his eyes shine with so much excitement and anxiety that they pull her attention to them. 

She nods at him, and slowly she creeps out of her bed. Their father stopped recording in their rooms long ago, so all they really have to worry about is waking their mother or Pogo. As quietly as possible, Vanya opens her closet door and reaches towards the back. Something falls over, and both her and Ben hold their breaths in fear. No one comes. After a few moments, Vanya continues pulling the packs out of the closet. She carefully lays them on her bed, grabs a set of clothes from each of them, and gestures Ben to turn around as she does the same. 

She quickly gets out of her pajamas and changes into the new pair of clothes. The sweat black pants she puts on are the most comfortable pants she’s ever been able to wear. She has a white shirt which has multicolored stars on it, but she quickly puts her black hoodie over it to stop her from being noticeable, and she’s never been so warm in her life. She softly asks if she can turn around, and the moment she gets the okay she moves to her bedside table to grab a hair tie from the drawer. 

Ben smiles at her as he puts a beanie on, and she smiles back. Moonlight illuminates the room in a way that makes this experience seem so much more magical. The silence feels both comforting and suffocating, and Vanya’s surprised that the sound of her own heartbeat isn’t waking everyone in the house. Her hands shake as she puts her hair into a loose bun, and she’s not sure if it’s from anticipation or fear. Probably a mix of both. 

As soon as her hair is up, Ben tosses her a beanie, and as she puts it on, he drops to the floor to pull 2 pairs of shoes out from under the bed. The two quickly put on socks and put on their tennis shoes before doing a quick inventory of what they have. They have money, a few more trinkets they can pawn, some crackers and non-perishable foods, a water bottle each, blankets, some notebooks, and their train tickets. They’re ready to go. 

They open the window in Vanya’s room. Ben climbs down first so that he’ll be ready to catch Vanya in case she falls, and also so that she can toss the packs down at him. The winter air is frigid and cold, and as Vanya climbs down from her window she can see her breath. Her violin case is heavy as she climbs—she refuses to throw it down— and her hands feel almost numb. The second she reaches the ground, she asks for gloves from her pack. As soon as they’re ready, they take one last look at the academy, whisper a soft goodbye, and they run. 

Neon lights fill their vision. The world around them seems to be going in slow motion, and they pass so many people who will never know what they’re experiencing right now. Once they’re far away enough from their house, they laugh. They laugh with tears in their eyes because for once in their lives they feel free. Vanya takes Ben’s hand, and together they run all the way to the train station where they’ll get a few more hours of sleep before catching the train to Chicago. Vanya feels at peace. 

* * *

_ “Who are you?”  _

_ “You know the answer to that, don’t you?”  _

_ “But—” _

_ “Please.” Her voice is soft and melodious. It carries through the space like a song in a fable. “Let me do this.”  _

_ A pause.  _

_ “Okay.”  _

* * *

Vanya watches the scenery pass by with rapt attention. The scenery looks oddly familiar despite the fact that she’s never left her home city, but she ignores all of her senses that are telling her something’s off. Instead, she focuses on the scenery of Illinois and the giddiness that comes with the knowledge that she and Ben are getting far, far away from the mansion they grew up in. 

Beside her, Ben re-reads his favorite book. Well, he’s attempting to read it. She can see his eyes flicker around the train nervously, and Vanya can’t say she doesn’t understand why. She feels euphoric finally being away from their father, but she still doesn’t feel like they’ve gotten far enough; it feels like he’ll pop up at any moment to drag them back. The glances they get from the employees and other passengers doesn’t help either. 

Ben is famous. The Umbrella Academy is famous, and Vanya’s a bit surprised they haven’t seen any news surrounding the disappearance of another member of The Academy. Vanya wonders if Reginald is too prideful to admit one of his children slipped through his fingers. Vanya thinks the best case scenario is Reginald not caring. She doesn’t understand why he would ever want to get her back, and Ben always got bad press, so maybe their father will think letting them go will save his reputation. 

She leans her head against the window, and the cold glass helps her move her thoughts away from Reginald. She resists the urge to swallow a pill because she knows she has to either last until they can get more, or she has to stop taking them slowly to avoid the side effects that come with going cold turkey. She and Ben had witnessed such a thing happen to Klaus before, and it had never been pretty. 

“Ben?” She asks softly. 

He bookmarks his page and turns to look at her. His expression is nothing but gentle and kind even though he must also have a storm of anxiety within him. Vanya knows this hasn’t been easy for both of them: they’ve left their siblings, their father could be around any corner, and stuff is a lot more expensive than they initially expected. They have just over a thousand dollars, but that really isn’t going to help in the long run. The only thing keeping them from falling into despair is the knowledge that this is better than what they went through back at the house. 

Something about this train ride feels achingly familiar. The very fabric of the seats, the reading, and the normal silence between them resonates within her mind, and it’s almost as if her soul is  _ begging  _ her to remember something, but she has no idea what she could have forgotten. Instead of dwelling on it, she sinks deeper into the soft cushions, and focuses on Ben. 

“Do you think we’ll make friends?” She asks.

“Yeah,” Ben says, softly smiling. “I think people will be tripping over themselves to be your friend.” 

Vanya can feel her face redden at the words. Ben has always done his best to make her feel appreciated, but after living her entire life being told she’s worthless, she flushes under attention and compliments. Ben laughs slightly, and he brushes their hands together in a comforting gesture. They both crave physical contact; it helps ground Ben when The Horror acts up, and Vanya has gone most of her life with barely any affection. 

“Excuse me.” 

The two of them turn to see an attendant with a food cart. The sky outside is darkening, and now that Vanya thinks about it, she is hungry. Her eyes easily skim past the blue and white uniform the attendant is wearing, and instead she focuses on the cart itself and the food it holds. She can hear Ben’s deep inhale, but they don’t have enough money for one of the train meals; trail mix will have to suffice. 

“Do you want anything?” The attendant asks. 

Her voice is gentle, and it’s comforting to hear. In a way, it reminds Vanya of her mother,  except this person’s voice is far more human. It makes Vanya relax, and while she desperately wishes they could get more food, they really have to stick with what they have in their packs for now—they’ll be able to eat more after they get a job and settle on the west coast. 

She can feel Ben still beside her. She briefly glances at him, and she can see him staring longingly at the food cart, but they both know how important it is that they spend their money wisely. They need to have enough money to make it across the country after all. Still, she understands how he feels. The two of them haven’t had a proper meal since they left, and while this is definitely better than going back, it doesn’t stop them from wanting. 

“No thank you,” Vanya says. 

A look of concern washes over the attendant’s face. Vanya’s not sure what to do with this information. She’s already not used to people being concerned for her, and it’s not like she and Ben are  _ children _ ; they’re both 16. Apparently, this is young enough for the attendant to be worried for them. An odd voice in the back of her mind tells her that 16  _ is  _ young, and for a moment it feels like she’s observing the scene as someone who’s older and  _ knows  _ 16 is too young to be forced to leave home. 

She blinks, and the world comes into focus once more. The odd feeling, she’s been  having many of those recently, fades away, but even though she feels like she should question this, she decides the situation at hand is currently more important.  _ (She doesn’t know it, but soon the feeling will completely fade, and she won’t even remember until it happens again).  _

“You need to eat,” The attendant urges softly. 

“We really can’t,” Vanya answers. 

The attendant sighs, and Vanya wonders if they’re stopping other passengers from receiving food because this conversation continues on and on. On top of everything else, she always hopes she isn’t inconveniencing anyone; it’s definitely because of how she was raised, but knowing why she thinks this way doesn’t stop her from thinking it. 

“You kids need food. I’ll pay for you, okay? Now tell me what you want,” She says. 

Vanya looks at Ben, and he looks at her. He nods, and the two of them quickly look through what they have before getting an actual meal. The two of them slip what they can into their backpacks for later, but it’s nice to fall asleep in the train with a full stomach. 

* * *

_ “I don’t understand.”  _

_ “I know. I’m sorry.”  _

_ “The apoca—”  _

_ She shushes her. A soft breeze fluttering over her lips, and eyes boring into her soul hushes her.  _

_ “I know.”  _

* * *

__ The train station is loud and full of people, but at the very least it provides shelter from the weather. Their train won’t come for another two hours, and they had to check out of their motel early, so they’re left waiting. The constant chatter of the crowd attacks Vanya’s senses, and it’s unbearably hard to focus. It feels as if the sound is about to come pouring out of her. It’s buzzing under her skin, and she yearns to reach for a pill. Distantly, she wonders if this is what it’s like to have powers. 

She turns to Ben, desperate for a distraction, and watches as he breaths evenly with his eyes closed. Vanya hadn’t even noticed as he fell asleep, but now she knows she can’t disturb him. He’s been doing a lot of the planning—he has more survival experience because of some of the training Reginald put the Academy through. She’s happy he’s finally getting more rest. 

Her eyes travel away from Ben and to the violin case in her hands. She hasn’t had a lot of time to practice since they ran away about a week and a half ago, but she has the time now. Carefully, and almost reverently, she opens the case to gaze upon her instrument. Just looking at it causes waves of euphoria to wash over her. She sets the case onto the ground, and lifts the violin out of it. 

She begins to tune it, and she’s begun to catch the attention of part of the crowd. The noises of the station still grate on her nerves, but she finds comfort in the knowledge that soon all she will be aware of is her violin. Taking a deep breath, she begins playing the opening notes to “Phantom Of The Opera.” 

The music swirls around her in ways she can’t describe. When she plays, she feels like she becomes one with the music as the rest of the world fades into oblivion, but somehow this feels different. Maybe it’s because she’s down to taking one pill every other day, something which has been causing her to overall feel more alive, but she swears she can feel the music humming in the space around her. It feels as if the music is pushing and pulling with her soul, and as she closes her eyes, she practically feels each note echo in her mind. 

A dull hum of sound pushes back at her. It’s unfamiliar, yet so familiar at the same time. It sounds like the night. It sounds like galaxies forming and stars exploding. It sounds like the background radiation of the universe and there’s high pitched echos which somehow sound like black holes in Vanya’s ears. A part buried deep inside Vanya’s subconscious acknowledges that this is the universe itself responding to her playing, and even if she doesn’t consciously know it, she still enters the dance. 

Time becomes meaningless as she just plays with the accompaniment of pure energy which harmonizes perfectly with her. With every note, she can hear a perfect echo replying back to her. It swirls around her body, and she picture a wind swirling around her even though she knows she’s indoors. She lets the feeling of bliss carry her to the final note, and as she opens her eyes, she becomes aware of clapping from around her. 

A few people come over to her open violin case and deposit money causing her to flush. She turns her head and locks eyes with Ben. He’s smiling at her, practically beaming, and he quickly stands up and walks over to her. A few people congratulate her, tell her how amazing it is that she can play that well at such a young age, and she doesn’t know what to do with this newfound attention; she hasn’t had the time to practice and get better, but people are reacting in a way they never have before. 

“Vanya, that was amazing! Extraordinary even!” 

The use of the word “extraordinary” makes her smile more than she thought possible, and she carefully organizes the money in her case while putting her violin away. She counts the money, careful to keep it close to her to prevent it from being stolen, and she’s surprised to see around $100. She turns to Ben only to find him looking at her with an odd expression on his face. 

“We have more food money,” She says. 

He smiles at her before speaking. “We do.” He pauses. “I’ve never heard you play like that Vanya. The music sounded alive. It was almost like you—” He cuts himself up abruptly. 

She waits for him to continue, but he never does. He looks at her, pondering, and she wishes she had the power to read his mind. She doesn’t squirm under his gaze because he has never looked at her like their siblings do, but she still feels awkward. She goes through her mind in hopes to find some distraction. Even if she wants to know what he’s thinking, she’s okay not knowing if it means he’ll stop looking at her like she’s a puzzle. 

For a moment, she thinks he figured out she has powers, and her mind goes into a frenzy because she can’t be locked up _again._ She can’t let him do that to her! She couldn’t bear to be in that dark room where time is meaningless and all that exists is a deafening silence which echos in her body until she explodes. She couldn’t bear to be locked in the place of her nightmares again! She _can’t go back there—_

A sob comes out of her mouth, and as her mind clears she finds herself questioning why she even  _ thinks  _ she has powers. She doesn’t have powers, she never will have powers, because she’s just ordinary, so she doesn’t know why she was so sure for a moment that  _ Ben  _ of all people would lock her up for having the powers she doesn’t have. She doesn’t know why the image of a room with spiked walls lives strongly in her mind. She doesn’t know why she has an image of four adults, familiar looking adults, standing outside as she begs to be let out, but the entire situation sends her mind into a panic.

“Vanya?” Ben’s concerned eyes lock onto her. “Can I touch you?” 

She nods her head, and he carefully places his hand on her shoulder. Suddenly, she can’t stop crying. She gasps for breath, and she’s not even sure why she’s panicking this much. She leans into Ben’s embrace, and she wonders if this is because of the pills—rationing them out until they’re able to figure out where to get new ones at the coast must have some adverse side affects. 

“Hey Vanya? Do you want to play a game?” 

Her cries halt. She looks up at Ben and slowly nods. The two of them spend the rest of the day playing hand games like “pattycake” and “lemonade.” It helps keep Vanya’s mind away from the anxiety that is threatening to suffocate her, and soon it’s pushed to the very back of her mind. 

* * *

_ Voices surround her. For a long time it’s just a jumble of incoherent sounds, and she feels like she’s drowning. After what must be an eternity, the noises separate into two voices and a steady beeping noise. She tries to move her body, but the only response is a twitch of her fingers. She feels trapped.  _

_ “If she doesn’t wake up, I’m going to murder—”  _

_ “The vehicle was found abandoned elsewhere. You know this. Trust me, I want to make them pay as well.”  _

_ The first voice is gruff while the second is significantly lighter and softer. They almost sound familiar, but only in the strange sense of familiarity that is received by deja vu. She tries not to think about the feeling, and instead she focuses her mind to pick up on another sound—cards. The two must be playing some sort of game, and once again she tries to figure out where she is.  _

_ The sound of a knife being drawn from its sheath causes her breath to catch in her throat. She can hear the metal cutting through the air as it’s thrown up and down. She doesn’t have the mental capacity to wonder why she can identify the sound because she’s too busy being sure she’s going to die.  _

_ The door opens.  _

_ “Put that away, idiot. You’ll hurt her.”  _

_ The voice sounds so achingly familiar. It sounds like— _

* * *

“Five?” Vanya mumbles. 

She blinks the sleep out of her eyes and softly groans as the midday sun shines through the glass and into her line of vision. She slowly turns over and finds Ben reading the book that the nice lady from the bookstore gave them. Her dream is already fading, but she knows for certain that Five was in it. The reminder of her lost brother makes a heavy blanket of sorrow drape over her shoulders, so she tries to focus on the brother that’s in front of her who’s  _ alive _ .  _ (Why does she feel like he’s supposed to be dead?) _

“What time is it?” She asks. 

She knows she could check her own watch, but she wants to start a conversation with Ben. Besides, her vision is still slightly blurred from sleep. She watches as Ben quickly glances at his watch and grins. He turns to her, and she can see the excitement forming in his eyes. His feelings are contagious, and soon she’s smiling as well even though she doesn’t know what has caused him to be so happy. 

“It’s 2:15. We’re supposed to arrive at 2:45. We’re almost there Vanya!” 

Despite any form of self control that Vanya has, she laughs loudly. She grabs Ben’s hands in her own, and she can’t help but think of all the possibilities awaiting them. She knows it will be hard to really get on their feet, but it will all be worth it. They’re finally free, and she can’t wait to begin their new life.

The next half hour passes with steady anticipation. Vanya traces a single crack in the bus window with her eyes dozens of times, and she’s constantly drumming her fingers on her leg. The slight sound becomes louder and louder to the point that it’s all she can hear. She doesn’t mind it because her mind is already too focused on getting to there as quickly as possible. The wind picks up outside, and the windows rattle a bit, but it doesn’t seem scary. A few people look annoyed, and maybe even a bit nervous, because of the movement, but the sun is shining, and it almost feels as if the bus is shaking in anticipation just like she is. 

In the reflection of the window, she can see Ben looking at her with the most peculiar look, but it doesn’t last long. He is also excited to arrive at the wonderful coastal town they’ll live in; it’s the place where they’ll finally be able to live instead of just trying to survive. It’s a land full of possibilities, and the two of them are ready to arrive. 

Vanya’s breath is taken away the moment they enter the town. People walk around, wrapped in winter coats, and the traffic is minimal. The buildings are sat side by side, but there isn’t a building with more than three stories. The town is so small compared to the city left behind, but it’s still an entire world waiting to be explored. She barely even notices when they get to the stop she and Ben will be getting off at because she’s so entranced by their new home. 

Breathing in the salt tinged air of the seaside town, Vanya feels a happiness she can’t describe. The world seems brighter on the west coast, miles away from their father, and the sun seems infinitely warmer. Vanya can’t stop the tears from forming in her eyes because what she’s feeling is complete, unfettered joy at the knowledge that they’re  _ free _ , and they’ll never go back as long as their father is alive. 

She feels a hand on her shoulder, and when she turns, she sees Ben smiling at her with watery eyes. She instantly hugs him, and together they begin laughing because they finally made it here, and they’re never going to let go of this new found peace. They’re going to live in this town for the rest of their lives, and they’ll be happy. Five will come back, he’ll find their route in the floorboard in the library, and he’ll find them. Vanya is sure everything is going to be okay. 

The two of them pull away from each other. Vanya wipes the moisture away from her eyes, and Ben does the same. Taking a deep breath, Vanya decides to look around. She spins in a circle and tries to take everything in at once. There’s a clothing store across the street, a bookstore next to it, and they’re in front of a small park. They’re too old for the play structures, though a part of Vanya wants to use it anyway because she never got to when she was younger, but the rest of the park looks beautiful anyway. 

“We should head to the motel. First thing tomorrow, we’re going to look for a job,” Ben says. 

Vanya nods her agreement, and the two of them set off. The motel is barely distinguishable from the ones they’ve been to before, but the town is so small that it doesn’t really have a “bad part of town,” so, at the very least, it doesn’t seem like anyone’s been murdered in the room. The tacky floral wallpaper is peeling, and the sheets are a bit stiff, but they’re clean and warm, and that’s really all Ben and Vanya can ask for at the moment. 

The next day, the two of them split up to survey the town. Ben is a bit hesitant at first, but Vanya reminds him that they need money fast, and they’re more likely to find more potential workplaces. Even though she suggested it, she’s a bit anxious walking down the streets, and she instinctively reaches for a pill. She finds none, she left them with Ben since she’s rationing, and she makes a mental note to remind Ben that they’ll need to get some soon. Despite her being anxious, the streets seem familiar in the same way many things have since starting the trip. It leads her to being drawn to a small little coffee shop. 

There’s a flyer that help is wanted, so she figures she might as well try. The outer walls are a soft pastel green, while the inside has white walls and a green tiled floor. A few seats are situated by the window, and at the very back, there’s a barista stand. Up against the right wall, there are two small bookshelves. The place is pretty spacious, but there’s currently only a handful of people—six to be exact. Six. That’s how many members of The Umbrella Academy there were. That’s how many siblings she had, the amount of siblings left alive, and the first name of the brother that came with her. If she believed in a higher power, she might have considered this a sign. 

“Shouldn’t you be in school?” 

The voice surprises her, but it’s not unfriendly, so she slightly relaxes. She turns back to the counter and sees a middle aged man smiling at her. He’s smiling, and his blue eyes which hold no hostility have lines around them. His hair is greying, but he doesn’t look as old as her father—he doesn’t seem to share any traits with her father, actually. As she shifts her gaze behind him, she notices a door which must lead to a back room. 

“I—” She begins fidgeting with her hands as she debates what to say. “My brother and I are homeschooled,” She says. Then, realising it’s a small town where everyone probably knows each other, she adds, “Besides, we just moved here.” 

The man nods in understanding, and she lets out a silent sigh of relief. She wonders why she has to be so awkward around people. Logically, she knows the reason is because of the isolation she experienced and the comments of how useless she was, but another part of her wonders if it’s just another thing wrong with her.  _ (A voice in the back of her mind taunts that she was forced to become this because Reginald was scared of her, but she doesn’t understand it, so she tells it to  _ **_shut up_ ** _ ) _ . 

“Well Buttercup, can I get you anything?” The man asks. 

Her mind screeches to a halt at the unfamiliar nickname, and she wonders if this is just how he addresses all children. He doesn’t seem dangerous, so she brushes it off. Instead, she takes a quick, longing glance at the menu. She would love to buy a warm drink, but she can’t afford to waste money. The entire reason she’s here is because she and Ben need a job. 

“I’m here to get a job,” She says. 

“I’m sorry Buttercup, but the jobs available are just day shifts. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of your education.” 

Vanya deflates. She knows she has to do something to get this job, she and Ben can’t survive without a job forever, but she’s worried she’ll mess it up. She takes a deep breath, and for a moment, she feels more confident. It’s like there’s another force telling her it’s going to be okay, and even though it might mean she’s crazy, it helps. 

“I can rearrange my schedule. Please. My brother and I really need a job.” 

There’s a small silence, and Vanya fears he won’t even consider it. 

“Okay. Just get me a resume by tomorrow at noon, and I’ll see what I can do.” 

Her face lightens up as hope lights up in her soul. She has to stop herself from shouting for joy—she would hate to embarrass herself in a place she could potentially work. Instead, she just opts for thanking him like a sane person.  _ (Though, nothing the Hargreeves have ever done has been sane, so it will be a bit of a challenge).  _

“Thank you,” She takes a quick glance at his nametag, “Michael.” 

For a brief moment, she thinks everything is going to be alright. She’ll just give him her resume, and—

“Wait. What’s a resume?” 

* * *

_ “It’s been five days!”  _

_ “Yes, I know that! I’ve been waiting just as anxiously as you have!”  _

_ Voices pile on top of eachother. They’re screaming at one another, and she so desperately wants it to stop, but she can’t move. She feels suffocated. She feels something unravel in her chest in response, and it ripples outward to stop the noise. She hears curtains move and metal clink, but the shouting goes silent.  _

_ “Vanya? Vanya can you hear me?”  _

_ “Vanya, wake up.”  _

_ “Please—” _

* * *

“Vanya.” 

A soft voice cuts through her dream, and she briefly wonders why Ben always wakes her up when she’s having the strangest dreams. She opens her eyes and prepares to ask him, but the fluorescent lights on the ceiling glare into her eyes. She quickly shuts them while Ben whispers out muffled apologies. She sits up and makes sure to have her eyes pointed anywhere but the ceiling. 

The white walls of the back room of their workplace flood her vision, and she wonders why the color white seems both comforting and anxiety inducing. The feeling is too much to handle, so she shifts her gaze away from the walls and finds herself looking at the textbooks they borrowed from the library—they’re giving themselves education since they have to work. At their level, they’re just going to get their GED, but it will take some time, and they want to study. 

Michael, the owner of the café, was kind enough to let them live in the backroom after he found out that they had no where to go. In exchange, they clean the place on top of their usual barista jobs, but the fact remains that he’s been nothing but kind to them. Not only that, but his daughter is friendly as well, so now they have a friend. They’re making a life for themselves. Sure, not all of the other teens are as welcoming, but they surprisingly get along well with a lot of the local college students who come by the café. The local college isn’t by any means big, and this isn’t a college town, but Ben and Vanya are already considering attending the college here because of the community. All in all, Vanya’s really enjoying herself. 

“Is thought today was our day off,” She says. 

“It is, but I need to talk to you, but let’s go for a walk first.” 

She fixes him with a questioning gaze, but ultimately decides to follow. It’s Saturday in the middle of March, so other people are also out enjoying the weather. The two of the hike many of the trails near the waterside before Ben eventually stops at an outlook devoid of people. Vanya wonders why they need to be alone, and she fears this has something to do with the Academy. 

She turns her eyes to the pacific ocean. The sky is clear of clouds, so the ocean is shining a brilliant blue. The color reminds her of Five’s spacial jumps, and for a moment she feels deep sadness. She also feels a bit of regret from leaving their other siblings behind, but she pushes that away in favor of focusing on the breeze blowing past her. The leaves rustle softly, and the noise itself calms Vanya. 

“I think you should stop taking pills.” He says.

The statement itself is a surprising one, or at least it should be, but Vanya feels as if this has been coming. She only has a couple of pills left, and she’s been noticing a difference the less she takes them. The world around her feels more alive, and even though this should all feel frightening, it feels familiar—it feels like coming home. 

“Why?” She asks, even though she already knows the answer. 

“I think you have powers,” He answers.

Everything Reginald has ever told her fights against those words. Something deeper inside her _ (it’s the rumor, it’s the rumor, it’s the—)  _ fights against those words, but another part of her  _ knows _ this is true. She feels as if she’s known for a while, and the more she thinks about it, the more the reality around her seems to shift. It feels as if the foundation of the universe ittself is shaking because there’s  _ something wrong here.  _

_ (“Stop. Please.”  _

_ “This is enough!”  _

_ “You have to see this. There won’t be another chance.”  _

_ … _

_ “Okay”).  _

She takes a deep breath, and the color stops swimming in her vision. The world becomes unblurred, but she feels dizzy. She softy tumbles to the ground, and Ben quickly rushes to her side. Concern is written plainly on his face. He reaches out to her, and she reaches back. The wind swirls around them in an unusual yet wonderful way, and soon the dizziness fades.

“Sorry, I guess it’s just a lot to process,” She says. 

Ben shakes his head. “It’s okay. We’ll go at your pace.” 

They did. For the most part, they trained every week on Saturday, but if Vanya ever wasn’t feeling up for it, then that was okay. Ben was at a loss for what to do a lot of the time, but luckily using her power was pure instinct to Vanya. She found that using her power was as easy as breathing. They continue working at the coffee shop, they become friends with regulars, and Vanya can’t deny that Michael’s daughter, Riley, is very cute. Everything is going great. They go to the arcade with Riley and her friends, occasionally they’ll see movies at the theatre, but mostly they walk around the park and the sea. They’re slowly saving up the funds to be able to rent an apartment, and everything is going great. 

Things take a turn for the worse during June. It’s June 17th to be exact. Summer vacation has started, and Riley is helping in the coffee shop as well. Vanya’s thinking about seeing if there are any events she can play at, and Ben has been looking for a second job. He’s just come back from job searching when the trouble begins. 

The day starts out fine. Vanya is making drinks for people while Ben gets ready for his shift. The television is playing in the corner, apparently the shop got it during December, and the attention of the people is caught by the news. Vanya and Ben actually think it should stop, but Riley is also enraptured, so they know there’s no way the channel will change. They try their best to ignore the news reporters who are gushing about how the Umbrella Academy are saving the day again. Vanya is currently rolling her eyes because, really, do they need to be filming while the fighting is still happening? 

“DIEGO!” An ear piercing shriek causes everyone to snap their attention to the screen. In her shock, Vanya drops the coffee mug she was holding. Most people are too focused muttering about who ‘Diego’ is, the public still doesn’t know them by anything other than the hero names, but Riley has momentarily turned her attention to Vanya. 

“Sorry, I’ll…” She trails off. 

She trails off because the camera has zoomed in on the faces of the Umbrella Academy kids. Allison is leaning over a body, and— god that body is Diego. Diego has a bullet wound through his head, and Vanya swears she’s never felt panic as great as this. She watches in horror as Luther turns to the attackers in fury, and Klaus shakes his head in disbelief. 

“I HEARD A RUMOR YOU SHOT YOURSELVES!” Allison screams to attackers. 

A few gasps echo from the news reporters and the people in the shop. Of course, for press reasons, Reginald tells the kids to not kill—definitely not on camera. At this point, everyone’s attention is on the screen. Vanya wonders if any of them truly understand that a  _ child  _ has  _ died _ . The thought causes Vanya’s mind to halt because Diego’s really dead. Her brother is  _ dead _ . Allison begins saying ‘I heard a rumor Diego’s alive,’ and a sob leaves Vanya’s mouth. She turns to Riley. 

“Turn it off!” Ben demands. 

His arms are wrapped around his stomach in the way that tells Vanya that The Horror is trying to break free. She knows this happens during stressful events, and that’s probably all it is, but she still wonders if The Horror feels the need for some form of revenge at the death of Diego. She guesses she’ll never know, but she can’t really focus on that because her brother is dead, and her mind is going a million miles an hour. Her brother is dead, and it’s scary how much that sentence seems normal. The idea of having a brother who never reaches seventeen seems normal, but it being Diego sends the world off kilter. 

She collapses to the ground. She puts her hand over her mouth in an attempt to silence her cries. She tries to calm herself, but she can still head the cracking of glass somewhere. All the emotions are so overwhelming to the point where her mind shuts down. The use of her powers left her exhausted, and she falls asleep on the ground of the coffee shop where she learned her brother died. 

* * *

_ “Stop this!”  _

_ “I can’t—” _

_ “BULLSHIT!” Her breating is coming out irreguglarly, but she just saw the dead body of a brother that should have never even been on a mission at that point in life.  _

_ “You need to see this.”  _

_ “No I don’t. Not the events leading up to it. I AM NOT GOING TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE DIEGO IS DEAD!”  _

_ A beat of silence. Then, humorless laughing begins. The sound is haunting, and it sounds impossibly sad.  _

_ “You’re right. I guess I’ve been here so long that I… I’m sorry.”  _

_ “What do you need show me?”  _

_ “The funeral.”  _

_ “Couldn’t have started with that?” Comes the snarky reply.  _

_ There’s silent. Everything fades.  _

* * *

Ben and Vanya come clean to Michael and Riley. They’re suspicious at first, but a display of powers convinces them. They don’t turn Ben and Vanya back to Reginald. At eighteen, they rent an apartment. At twenty-one, Vanya and Ben begin writing their stories which will be published when they’re twenty-three which allows them to buy a house by the age of twenty-five. Life is going great. They go to college and make wonderful friends, and Ben even gets married at twenty-eight. At that point Vanya’s recently experienced a break-up, but it’s okay. Everything is okay. 

Then, their father dies when they’re twenty-nine. They take a plane to New York, and enter the manor from their past. Ben’s wife comes along, and both Ben and Vanya do their best to make her comfortable despite being uncomfortable themselves. Allison calls out to them in disbelief, and Luther does a double take upon seeing them. Klaus looks at them as if they’re ghosts before quickly turning to murmur to someone to his right. 

The entire thing is awkward. The family politely greets Ben’s wife, but the room is tense. Five comes back which causes Ben and Vanya to practically run up to him and embrace him in a hug. He allows it for a few seconds before teleporting away. He’s quiet to the family, but he finds them at their hotel, and he tells them about an apocalypse. They try to work with him to stop it. 

Then, Ben dies. More specifically, a commission agent kills him on the last day of March, and Vanya sees white. She can’t process anything, and she loses control. The apocalypse comes full force, and Five is left to time travel once more, but Vanya is partially dragged along by accident. More specifically, a part of Vanya’s essense is pulled along. She can’t fully interact with the world, she’s stuck in a plane of existence that’s separate, but she can communicate with Five through dreams. They try the butterfly effect. They stop a mission from occurring, but instead Ben dies on a different one a week later. The timeline is changed. 

Vanya takes a deep breath after experiencing years in what seemed like a montage. Time escapes her at the moment, so she’s not sure how long she spends processing everything she’s seen. She barely even glances at the white void she’s in before focusing on the glowing figure in a white suit in front of her. 

“That’s what you wanted to show me?” She asks, her voice full of disbelief. “Did you really waste all that time showing me background information to show me how  _ you _ ended the world?!” 

“There’s a purpose,” Her counterpart says, and the voice echos in her mind. “I had complete control of my power, but The Comission still manipulated me into causing the apocalypse. Your accident wasn’t an accident.” 

Vanya freezes. Does this mean Jess was put into danger because of her? The thought makes Vanya feel as if a bucket of ice cold water has been poured onto her. She doesn’t want her loved ones to be in danger because The Comission still wants an apocalypse—she just wants a chance to finally be happy with her family. 

“You weren’t supposed to be in the car. I suppose someone stepped on a butterfly somewhere. Needless to say, something changed which caused you to get into the car as well. A good thing too—you being there alerted Jess to the danger, which allowed her to get the car in a slightly different position. You saved her life inadvertently.” 

The thought of Jess dying does not sit well in Vanya’s stomach, and all she really wants is to wake up and see her again. 

“You couldn’t have just told me?” She asks. 

“It’s better to experience. Besides, your body needed to heal, and this was a way to keep your body asleep.” 

“I would like to wake up now.” 

* * *

She wakes up with a killer headache. It feels like hay has been shoved down her throat, and her vision is blurry. The lights of the hospital blind her. For a moment, all she wants to do is fall back asleep, but the people sitting next to her stop her. Jess is sitting next to her, her arm in a cast, and she’s drifting off to sleep. Behind her, she can see Diego awkwardly pacing while Five writes things down in a notebook while also rapidly talking to him. Near the doorway, Allison sits with Klaus anxiously, and beside her, Ben is reading. 

Slowly, she brings her hands over to both Ben and Jess. Ben startles at the movement, and Jess wakes when Vanya’s hand lands on her arm. The two of them look at her in shocked silence before quickly standing up, thus gathering the attention of the others. The door opens and a panicked looking Luther appears, but upon seeing her awake, his panic shifts to joy.

“VANYA!” Numerous voices merge together, and Vanya can’t help but smile. Yes, she’s a danger to them and the entire world, but that just means she’ll have to be more aware of keeping her powers in check as well as keeping her loved ones safe. 

“Hey everyone. I’m home.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Well, that's a wrap! I'm so sorry if this wasn't what you were expecting, but the idea basically forced me to write it! I hope you found the glimpse into an alternate timeline interesting, and I hope you're all happy that Vanya survives!
> 
> Honestly, I just love the idea of any of the Hargreeves running away. (Maybe I'll write a full-on fic about that one day... who knows)
> 
> This series has ended, but I will be working on fics in the future, so who knows! Maybe we'll run into each other again!


End file.
